Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The RANDY Awards: Category X, Season Two

 As the Awards Ceremony is approaching its second round apex, one more RANDY stands between now and the announcing of the Best Episodes: Bronze, Silver and Gold.  The X category is that of the Most Ambitious Episode.  Among the things that make Star Trek: Strange New Worlds a singular success among the franchises is its willingness to step outside of the "box."  Hell, toss the box and make a bubble!

In the first season the Most Ambitious Episode went to "Spock Amok" with its overlapping themes and well woven plot twists that came together on multiple levels.  It was a brilliantly conceived and exquisitely executed use of characters and story arcs.  Season Two's winner is really nothing like season one's!  

Ambition and success are not the same critter.  It seems likely that the episode I chose was the most controversial of the season.  The creators swung for the bleachers and depending on who you ask the result was somewhere between a bases loaded homer to an infield fly catch!  Personally, it definitely got to third base, and drove in at least one runner.  The winner is "Subspace Rhapsody."   Written by Dana Horgan and Bill Wolkoff, it first aired on August 3, 2023.

Epilogue:
The music was composed by Kay Hanley and her longtime collaborator, Tom Polce.  Kay performed with Letters from Cloe.  The two have a lot of talent, what they didn't have was what every real musical has...a out of town tryout, or two, or three...  Had they I would like to think that the following edits would have been made.  The Gilbert and Sullivan homage piece would have been turned over to someone who understanding Gilbert and Sullivan MUCH BETTER.  Two other numbers needed some serious reconsideration, as well.  Both involved sub-plots involving La'an and Number One.  I question the focus on their premise when other possibilities were available like a spirited duet between Sam and James Kirk.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The RANDY Awards: Category IX, Season Two

Category 9 of the Randy Awards is another trifercated award in the Olympics style of Bronze, Silver and Gold.  The recipients are the actors who are not recurring cast members, but who are Featured with in a particular episode.  The second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds included more guest actors who's contributions qualified them for consideration.  In the end, the top two selections were absolute "No Brainers" in my view.  The Bronze winner required more consideration between the 5 candidates that met the criterion.  In the end, I chose Reed Birney for his portrayal of Luq, the gentle helper in the episode "Among the Lotus Eaters".  It was written by Kristen Byer and Davy Perez, and first aired on July 6, 2023.

The Silver Award winner could have been Gold, if it weren't for the Gold winner!  Now, that's a problem easy on the heart.  Jack Quaid had for several years been Ensign Bradwin Boimler's iconic voice on the animated sister series Star Trek: Below Decks.  The genius of this crossover episode where animation becomes live action and the future legacy of the Enterprise crew gets spilled out in dribs and drabs by this comedic Everyman is nothing short of brilliant.  Jack Quaid, Silver Award winner for "Those Old Scientists" written by Kathryn Lyn and Bill Wolkoff.  The episode first aired on July 22, 2023.

This leaves us with the Gold.  Yetide Badaki's portrayal of the Illyrian Lawyer, Neera Ketoul revolutionized the long running cliche of a Star Trek Character in trouble with the law and in need of an unorthodox legal counsel to save the day though with and cleverness.  There hasn't been a franchise save "Discovery" that hasn't built at least one episode around some version of this, and most revisited it more than once.  The writers of this episode must have wanted to accomplish two things: 1) to pay homage to the meme, and 2) to put it to bed once and for all with an episode that stunned the viewer for both its' clarity and cleverness.  And to accomplish this goal, Badaki's command of the role hit a home run completely out of the park.  No better performance to receive the GOLD.  "Ad Astra Per Aspera" was written by Dana Horgan and Onitra Johnson.  It aired for the first time on June 22, 2023.

Round House Theatre: Rules For Living

 The play was advertised as "a hilarious new comedy about family values;" a North American world premiere--formerly a hit on London's west end; and set around the goings on during an auspicious Christmas Holiday Lunch that the Matriarch, Deborah, of the clan is orchestrated (as she always does) with a fine toothed comb.  Enter younger son, Matthew with his new girlfriend, Carrie.  Matthew gave up a dream of being an actor to become a successful lawyer.  Carrie is a nymphomaniac who only runs hot.  Next come Adam, elder son, and his wife, Nicole, and their daughter, Emma.  Emma immediately retreats to a third floor bedroom to rest as she has an anxiety disorder.  Adam is a wannabe writer, and failed professional baseball player.  Nicole is a wino who spends her time trying to cure her husbands undiagnosed and unacknowledged (by him) ADHA, and the aforementioned Emma's anxiety.  Finally, Deborah arrives, who begins barking orders and passing judgments.  Who's missing?  Francis, the Patriarch, who had a little medical issue.  Turns out when he finally arrives it's a major stroke that's left him paralyzed on half his body, unable to speak and sloshing reality around in his head as if his sons are still starring in "The Pirates of Penzance" and pitching for a West Coast NBA team.  

From this simple set up, you can just imagine how funny the show is...  Don't try too hard.  While it certainly had its funny moments--like in the second act when they played charades--the underlying issues of sibling rivalries, marriage infidelities, alcohol and narcotic abuse, psychological abuse, lying and betrayals just kept getting the way!

Now, have said that, I'm going to say this: I really enjoyed the acting.  I would not call the play funny, I would say it was clever in spots, and for a man who couldn't speak, Francis (John Lescault) had some of the funniest moments.  I would also say that the menagerie of characters was such, that even with stereotypical traits, they gave plenty of room for some over-the-top acting.  They must have realized that they were onboard the Crazy Train to Nowhere Town and so what have you got to lose?  On this score, the daughters-in-law Nicole (Present Incumbent) and Carrie (To be or Not To Be) went all out and I completely appreciated their gifts to the audience.  Jonathan Feuer as the older son was also quite good; unfortunately, every time he needed to dip into a serious moment, he ended up channeling in a most eerie way the gay comedian Joe Dombrowski.  It was uncanny, but also grew stale.  

The set was clearly another character in the ensemble.  The detailing was a prop masters Olympic challenge and everything seemed to come off with ease.

Overall, I'm somewhere in the middle ground with this one.  What are you supposed to do with "You Can't Take It With You" and "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolff's" love child?  

Adam (Jonathan Feuer) watches while Carrie (Dani Stoller) enthusiastically embarrasses Deborah (Naomi Jacobson).  I have seen Dani Stoller in 3 other plays over the past 5 years and hand to god, I would not have been able to recognize her from previous performances.  She was so completely the character of Carrie.

Deborah (drinking "water" laced with muscle relaxant narcotics), Adam, Matthew (Will Conard), Nicole (Dina Thomas) and Carrie in the kitchen that Francis' affair with a Korean spa girl bought Deborah.  His infidelities were paid for by home improvement projects.  

Deborah with Francis (John Lescault) pretending everything is okay.

Sons held to account by a father who can only spout jibberish and the phrase "Fuck Off!"

Nicole and Adam lay the groundwork for an eventual detente--the only positive thing to come out of the play.  

Here's another indictment I have regarding the writing of the play.  The conflict between Nicole and Adam centers around his refusal to take seriously that she thinks he might have ADHD.  This is a critical component driving most of the rest of the angst throughout the show.  And I say, SERIOUSLY?!  As conditions go, this one hasn't been stigmatized since Bill Clinton failed to inhale!  Pull this lynch pin and everything else is a house of brittle old cards.

Hands down the funniest moments of the play: Charades!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The RANDY Awards: Category VIII, Season Two

 Alas, much like the last award for Make-up Design, Category VIII's Costume Design proved to be a quandary for me.  There really wasn't an episode where costume design was a standout element to the production design.  Instead, every episode came well packaged with whatever nuances the script required.  Like the previous category, in the end I found myself watching and re-watching a small collection of episodes hoping for something to dazzle me.  The conclusion I came to was that the Strange New World Costume Department is full of amazing designers and makers.

The episode I settled on is "Under The Cloak Of War".  No doubt the Klingon version of the too often appropriated "In The Fog Of War," for it carries the same meaning.  Among the costumes of note were the defector Klingon General Dak'Rah's understated, yet intricately created garb.  Also, the war uniforms of the Federation soldiers were another subtle, but detailed adaptation that held the familiar markers of the standard issue uniforms, but were also clearly designed for combat.

In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't really like this episode--I tend not to enjoy those full of violence; however, there were a couple of wonderful aspects.  First up was the cameo by Clint Howard as Commander Buck Martinez.  Howard first appeared on the original series at the age of 6 as an alien in "The Corbomite Maneuver".  Then he continued to pop-up!  Next, on Deep Space 9, then Enterprise, Discovery, and now, Strange New Worlds--which given their alternate mission of being one giant homage to the original series seems like an inevitability, now fulfilled. 

The delight was to encounter again the actor, Robert Wisdom in the role of the disgraced Klingon Ambassador, former General Dak-Rah.  I don't know how the producers were able to snag his services for the role, but I am grateful they did.  I mention this, because it's possible these biases ultimately led me to choosing this episode for this award--it was unlikely to be recognized in any other way.

The Second Round of RANDY AWARDS for Costume Design goes to "Under The Cloak Of War" written by Davy Perez and Onitra Johnson.  It was the 8th episode of the second season and first aired on August 3, 2023.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The RANDY Awards: Category VII, Season Two

 Category VII this year is Outstanding Make-Up Design.  It was a hard, if not the hardest decision to make out of the season.  I wanted one episode to standout, but instead I had three that just kept dancing around one another.  In the end I chose the season opener "The Broken Circle."  

The episode comes with lots of horseshoe crab-foreheaded Klingons which is no small feat if no longer uncommon.  Fight sequences gave "wound" make-up opportunities, and then being frozen--if only temporarily--in outer space turned both Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel into very believable popsicles.

"The Broken Circle" was written by Henry Alonso Myers and Akiva Goldsman.  It first aired on June 15, 2023.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The RANDY Awards: Category VI

 Category VI has been inserted into the Randy Awards for the first time in the second season.  It is meant for a category of recurring actors between seasons--in other words, actors who reprise the same character from a previous season, which necessarily negates the possibility on an award offered in the inaugural season.  Throughout the history of all Star Trek franchises, actors have help recurring roles outside of the credited main cast.  They have provided a sense of continuity that has contributed to the essential nature of a show about a crew of individuals.  From Lt. Kyle (John Winston)'s 11 appearances as the Transporter Chief across all three seasons of the Original series to Lt Mitchell (Rong Fu)'s 12 appearances as Helmsman on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds across the first three seasons--recurring supporting characters are the bedrock of creating a larger reality on any series.

Like other Randy awards, this one is tiered.  There are Gold, Silver and Bronze level winners.  The inaugural Gold Award goes to Paul Wesley as Captain James T. Kirk in the episode "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" written by David Reed and Onitra Johnson.  It first aired on Jun 29, 2023. 

The Silver Award is also for the performance of Carol Kane as Pelia in the same episode.  The genius of her portrayal of Pelia the Lanthenite is that she feels spontaneous in her dialogue and actions.  

The Bronze award goes to Gia Sandhu's T'Pring from the episode Charades.  Written by Kathryn Lyn and Henry Alonso Myers, it first aired on July 13, 2023.  Sandhu's interpretation of this one episode character from the original series has been a revelation over the first two seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.  In the first round of Randy Awards, she walked away with the Gold Award for Best Featured Actor making this her second trip to the podium in as many seasons.

Olney Theatre: Hello Dolly!

There are three major Holiday Musicals running in the DMV.  "Guys and Dolls" is at Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC; "Fiddler on the Roof" is at Signature Theatre in Shirlington, VA; and "Hello Dolly!" is at Olney Theatre Center in Olney, MD.  It's the DMV Trifecta.  I've seen all of them before, two productions of "Guys and Dolls," three of "Fiddler on the Roof," and just one of "Hello Dolly!".  But Hello Dolly! is the longest ago.  It was the 1978 revival with Carol Channing Reprising the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi.  And Eddie Bracken who was the original Horace Vandergelder.  I was in High School.  She was mesmerizing and the choreography was stunning. 

With the idea of cutting back a little on my theatre adventures, I made the choice to prioritize "Hello Dolly!".  Also, Nova Y. Payton was cast in the lead, and she is one of the most amazing and award winning actors in the DMV.  Before I tackle my thoughts on the show, let me expound a little on the status of the Classic American Musical.  These are musicals that ruled Broadway from the 1940's to the 1960's.  We all recognize their titles, and they carry a certain mystical cache.  But not all of them were created equal.   Some hang their fate of the power of a single lead actor.  Some have an abundance of choreography.  Others depend on comic timing, a quick and clever presentation of humorous anecdotes and site gages.  "Hello Dolly!" asks productions to accomplish ALL THREE.

So here we are with a flawed Dolly.  My complaints are like falling petals from a rose bush.  Any one is hardly noticeable, but there comes a point where you wished someone had given it more water, more fertilizer.  As Dolly, Novas gave a passable performance; however, her pacing was lugubrious at times.  Rather than hit the mark and move on, she chose to play it out to milk every possible laugh, every conceivable "tee hee".  It was a choice that didn't work.  Her ability to conjure the larger than life personality of the character also fell flat.  In compensation, she was fabulously regaled in costumes, and she does have an amazing singing voice.  Though on that score, she failed to command the volume necessary to conquer the pit orchestra's accompaniment.   

Likewise, Moses Villarama as Horace Vandergelder fell short in the vocalization department.  His voice, while on pitch, never got above the orchestra.  His characterization of the gruff old bachelor lacked nuance.  At no point did he appear vulnerable in a way that made the final turn believable.

So you have the star-crossed would-be lovers Cornelius Hackl (Michael Perrie Jr.) and Irene Malloy (Caitlin Brooke) AND Barnaby Tucker (Ricky Devon Hall) and Minnie Fay (Alex de Bard), playing second fiddle.  And here is where some true light shone forth.  Seriously, these actors were making up for what was lacking in the top tier.  Michael and Caitlin had no trouble whatsoever keeping the orchestra on its toes, with their beautiful, expressive voices.  Both Ricky and (even more so) Alex were comedic gold.

The ensemble was tremendous.  They executed the choreography effortlessly to great effect.  It was so good that beyond being the glue that held the other parts together, I don't think it's an understatement to say that it was the best part of the production.  Kudos to Eamon Foley.  And there's a definitely shout out to the set designer, too: Ravi "Riw" Rakkulchon.  The decision to perform the number "Put on your Sunday Clothes" on board a cage of a spinning train on it's way to New York from Yonkers was one of the most interesting and powerful moments of the show.

"Opening Act One" Ensemble with Dolly (Nova Y. Payton)

"It Takes A Woman": Male Chorus & 3rd from left, Cornelius (Michael Pierre Jr.), 5th from left Horace (Moses Villarama), 7th from left Barnaby (Ricky Devon Hall).

"Put On Your Sunday Clothes"

"Before the Parade Passes By"

"Hello Dolly"

"The Waiters' Gallop"

Vandergelder and Dolly come to terms.